David Johnston Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 This is the background for the mil sf cartoon "Legend of Galactic Heroes". ==Background Timeline== 2039: A massive nuclear exchange between the powers which dominate the Earth (identified as the United States of Euro-Africa and the Northern Coalition) destroy most major cities. 2129: After 90 years of chaos Earth is united under the "Earth Unity Government" based in the capital of [[brisbane]]. 2166: What will be a massive research installation on [[io]] is begun.\ 2253: A slower-than-light vessel is launched for Alpha Centauri but never returns. 2360: The first faster-than-light drive is developed, but turns out to have deleterious effects on females. 2391: The problems with FTL are solved. 2402: A habitable world is discovered near Canopus. 2404: As the first colony ship is launched for Canopus, Earth's government establishes a "Navigation Safety Department" which later becomes known as the Department of Public Safety. 2428: The Department of Public Safety reorganises itself as a formal navy. 2682: Disgruntled colonies unite to complain about high taxes, interference in local administration, and their lack of proportionate representation in the Humanity Congress which is weighted to ensure that Earth will always have the deciding vote. Earth responds by trying to make Sirius into a scapegoat, accusing them of spreading subversion as part of a plot to take over. 2685: Earth's denunciation of Sirius makes it into the natural leader of the dissident colonies and they establish the "Sirius Congress" and begin to gather military power. 2689: Earth attacks the on Sirius VI (aka Rondolina) to suppress the dissidents. Earth's forces become increasingly undisciplined, culminating in a massacre of the city of Laglane similar to the [[Rape of Nanking]]. 2703: The lack of discipline among Earth's forces leads to a devastating defeat at the hands of the much smaller rebel "Black Fleet". 2704: The Black Fleet blockades the inner Solar System for two months and then attacks the starving population, killing most of them. 2706: The death from heart attack of Carl Palgrem, the leader of the revolution, ends the unity of the rebels and they fragment into factions fighting for control. 2801: The United Stars of the Galaxy is formed, centered on Theoria, the 2nd planet of Aldebaran, and a new calender era is adopted, "Space Era" beginning in this year 2906 (106 S.E.): In order to deal with ongoing threat of space pirates descended from elements of the Sirius/Earth war who never reintigrated into civilisation, the U.S.G. authorises the creation of of a large military to combat them. 3088 (288 S.E.): A military genius named Rudolph Von Goldenbaum leads the U.S.G. space army to wipe out the resurgent pirates, becoming an idolised hero. 3096 (296 S.E.): Rudolph Von Goldenbaum having rocketed up the ranks to Admiral by the age of 28, retires to run for a seat in Parliament forming the National Reform Alliance. The public is eager for a man on a white horse to take over since the U.S.G. has become decadent and disorderly. 3110 (310 S.E.): President-for-life Goldenbaum declares himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire and this to be Imperial Year 1. 3120 (320 S.E., Imperial Year 9) Emperor Rudolph declares the Inferior Genes Exclusion Law which mandates sterilisation of the handicapped and execution of the mentally ill and terminates all social assistance of the poor. He begins selecting "superior genetic specimens", all of whom are white and have germanic names to form an aristocracy with titles handed out by Rudolph. 3141 (341 S.E., Imperial Year 42) Emperor Rudolph is succeeded by his grandson Sigismund, and widespread democratic rebellions break out, only to be suppressed. Billions of people lose their citizenship and become serfs for being family members or associates of executed rebels. 3263 (463 S.E., Imperial Year 164) Arle Heinnesen, reduced to serf status for being a member of a rebel's family, masterminds the escape of 40,000 serfs from a labour camp on Altair VII. 3327 (527 S.E., Imperial Year 218) The refugees, travelling more than 10,000 light years to flee the Empire arrive at a habitable world and decide to start the Free Planets Alliance from there, reviving the Space Era calendar. 3440 (640 S.E., Imperial Year 331) The Empire discovers the Free Planets Alliance and the war between them begins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRavenIs Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Re: Legend of Galactic Heroes Timeline Intresting.....you going to give us anymore background? ohh btw.....repped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Johnston Posted March 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Re: Legend of Galactic Heroes Timeline Legend of Galactic Heroes is one of those "endless warfare" Japanese cartoons of the 80s, where two sides are locked into combat and all efforts to find peace seem futile. In this case, the problem is the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance are for some inexplicable reason, only linked by two narrow safe navigational corridors. Since the author who seems to have been influenced by Lensman is cognizant of the sheer scale of resources involved in empires controlling significant portions of the galaxy, each side has millions and millions of ships to throw at the other and there's a substantial homefield advantage for the defender thanks to the narrow channels they have to pass through. The Empire's ruling class are a bunch of brutally authoritarian (and racist) thugs who all dress like 19th century Prussian aristocrats. The Free Planets Alliance are...somewhat better, but are drifting in the direction of dictatorship because of the incessant warfare, which has been on and off for the last 150 years or so. The military high commands of both sides are inept dimwits on the order of the people in charge of the Western front in World War I. (You can count on old officers in Japanese cartoons to be fools at best and fools and villains at worst.) However the true villains are the rulers of the planet of Phezzan which, located on one of the two navigation routes between the nations, controls all trade between the two sides thanks to it's quasi-neutrality, and behind the scenes sabotages any attempt to score a decisive victory, or failing that make a lasting peace since if peace ever broke out, Phezzan would no longer have it's monopoly. The heroes are two young military officers who, being young are of course much better strategists than the old pharts in charge. The Imperial hero, Reinhard has a lot more luck climbing the military totem pole because his sister is the Emperor's concubine and this connection gives him preferment. However he fully intends one day to lead a coup d'etat and overthrow the Emperor, uniting the entire galaxy under his rule (and freeing his sister from concubinage). Y'ang Wen Li is probably even smarter than Reinhard, but suffers from having bosses who hate him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NuSoardGraphite Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Re: Legend of Galactic Heroes Timeline Ah yes. LoGH. I've only seen a small fraction of the episodes, but what I have seen is quite excellent and the world (universe) setting would make for excellent RPG fodder. A Star Hero campaign waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQuestionMan Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Re: Legend of Galactic Heroes Timeline I only watched one season, but I loved the Politics and Intrigue of the respective Governments. The battles were fun too. LOL QM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltraRob Posted March 23, 2007 Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Re: Legend of Galactic Heroes Timeline When I taught in Japan, and asked people what their favorite book was, a common answer was "Ginga Eiyu Densetsu!" Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a personal favorite series that I have loved for a long time, and seen all 110 episodes of. (I had to watch the second half in Japanese at the time, though, before the Chinese DVDs with English subs were available.) It's an amazing story, with lots of politics and twists, and you really do fall in love with the characters on both sides. And, unlike many Japanese series, it has a very clear and definitive ending. There were some fan translations of the first few novels in English kicking around the net, and if you look carefully, you might be able to find them. Rob P.S. Another good LoGH fan page is here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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